Toxic

Epilogue

I missed Rafe horribly, and I’d woken a few times since his arrest to find my face damp with tears. A few days had passed without word or a sign from him or any other angels. I wanted to believe he lived, that he’d fought his captors and escaped. Perhaps he waited for a safe moment to rejoin me. A foolish fantasy, but it gave me a sliver of hope that I refused to extinguish, a ray of hope to use in the upcoming battle.

The day of reckoning arrived sooner than I wanted and without much warning; although, its appearance was unmistakable. The sky went from a sunny blue to a roiling black. My BlackBerry began beeping like crazy as reports started rolling in to tell of portals opening up and spilling out daemonic armies. The good news was the Legion of Darkness hadn’t arrived in the numbers I expected, but that one bright spot of info wasn’t enough to stop the ensuing pandemonium among the bleating humans.

I’d prepared for this moment, though, since Rafe’s abrupt departure, drinking and draining every stray daemon I found, their bitter blood potent, and imbued with surprising attributes. Forget shapeshifting into a big cat, I’d inherited some even cooler powers.

I no longer feared the daemons-it would be like the hunter fearing the buck he takes down and eats. Rather, I perceived them as a time consuming nuisance standing in the way of me and my real target-Heaven. But while I bided my time and saved my brethren-along with our human sheep-I’d hone my deadly skills.

I went outside and used my more powerful levitation skill-a daemonic perk-to float up to top of the castle ramparts and the highest pinnacle I could find. I surveyed the dark landscape around the castle and its grounds, the sun unable to break the barrier of dark that Hell had brought upon us. But even without that deadly ball of fire in the sky, the world was anything but cold with the furnace of Hades on its doorstep.

It occurred to me to send a thank you note to the Legion of Darkness, for in banishing our sunlight, they’d freed me and my brethren to roam the earth no matter the time of day. Their first deadly mistake. Their second was pissing me off in the first place.

I hoped my brethren and the world was ready for the coming battle. I’d warned everyone, even if there were those who pretended not to hear. I’d tried to prepare them, and now, ready or not, everyone would have to fight. The true battle for life was about to begin and whether a being was human, vampire or something in between, there were only two choices-fight or die. My original motto of fight or feed me was adapted by Lily so as to not frighten the humans, but in my mind the intent still resided.

Standing on the castle turret with the wind blowing the stench of brimstone in my face-Hell’s own fragrance-I barred my teeth and shook my fist.

“Bring it on.”

I am the Blood Countess, and by the time I am done wreaking devastation, all will know my name and, even better, fear it.

In the land of eternal sunshine

Rafe stared up through the bars of his prison still alive by a quirk of fate that saw his execution delayed for the moment. As long as he lived, there was still hope and a chance to escape. And when the moment presented itself, he’d take it and rejoin Ellie, his mesmerizing dark mistress. My love.

He sensed it when Hades returned to their dimension, the planets aligning for the first time in millennia. All of Heaven felt it-and trembled.

Rafe closed his eyes and thought of Ellie.

Wherever you are, my love, fight hard, stay safe and know that I love you.

It killed him to sit here in a cell while she fought to stay alive, and even more altruistically fought to save the world. He should have been by her side, protecting and aiding her. Instead, he’d become a victim to the Heavenly politics he hated so much.

A clicking sound preceded the door to his prison swinging open, startling Rafe from his inner musings. He stared in shock at the people framed in the doorway.

Salvation had arrived.

Rafe grinned and then laughed at this unexpected twist of fate.

I’m coming back, Ellie, and I hope you don’t mind, but I’m bringing a couple of friends.